Indiana with fewer trees found north of a
line extending from Terre Haute through Indianapolis to Richmond. This
southern area also contains the largest population of pecans. There are
some woods that contain only pecan trees while a mile or so away no
pecans are found but all are hickories and occasionally some woods
contain both pecan and hickory. The trees in the woods areas, many of
which seem to be the same species, produce a wide variety of fruits.
When the trees are more closely examined there is a difference in the
bark, the branch, the leaf, pubescence, shape of nut and shell
structure. As there are all seedling trees in this particular woods,
several outstanding trees have been checked and especially as to
cracking qualities of the nuts. At harvest time a hammer is part of the
equipment and the nuts are cracked at the tree and the tree marked for
discard or further consideration.

Future Possibilities of the Hickory

The hickory nut has not reached the popularity of the pecan, although
the hickory contains more protein and slightly less fat, carbohydrates,
and calories per pound than the pecan. Where the pecan does not fruit,
the better hickories, which are hardy, fill the need. The named
varieties are good and trees are available from some nurserymen. The
propagators have developed a few new crosses but man is far behind
nature in this work. The many new seedling trees scattered all over the
regions where the hickory grows require only propagation and
distribution for wider acclaim.

The development of a new hickory is a long-time process, yet may be
hastened by first planting the nuts for new seedlings and when the
growth is mature to bud or graft the seedling on large rootstocks. When
old trees have been top-worked it is only two or three years' time until
the fruit develops and, if worthy of propagation, much time may be saved
by this method.

Most of the hickories have either 32 or 64 chromosomes, except pecan
which varies from 20 to 24 to possibly 32. The chances of making
suitable crosses between the pecan and hickory are most difficult yet it
appears that these chance crosses result from time to time as in the
hican through natural cross pollination.

How extensive will be the plantings of the hickories is yet to be
determined but it is a known fact that many people, especially north of
the route of Federal Highway 40, prefer the hickory to the pecan. This
may be due to the fact that from child